The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-06-02

Idft 1Or SIX uuuureu miles, uOUel Dills
two days time and cab hire went
through Johnson's mind in about one
and three-quarter seconds, and then he
tainted. IN ?. Tribune.
DUEL BETWEEN sToRKs.
a sanguine Encounter Terminated by
Farmer With Gun.
The popular superstition according
towhich storks, when deprived of their
mates, are supposed to spend the re-
msinder of their lives in solitary grief,
mourning over the loss of the departed
one has just received a rude shock.
According to the following account, of
which the truth is vquched for, it
wouh appear that the female stork is
just as liable to indulge in a Irritation
as the remainder of her sex. For sew
eral years past a couple of storks had
been in the habit of spending the sum-
mer months in comfortable nest
which they had laboriously constructed
on the gable end of barn which
formed part of farm not far from
Buda-Pesth. They used to arrive early
in the spring, hatch the regular num-
ber of eggs, and. after spending the
hot days of July and August in educat-
ing their young, would all fly off to
warmer climes on the approach of
winter. Last summer they arrived
as usual, and after time began
to devote all their energies to hatch-
ing the eggs. When the hen bird
was not sitting, the husband would
gravely take her place, carefully
spreading himself in such manner as
of the family. One day, however, just
about the time when the little ones
were about to make their entry into
the world, a great noise was heard on
the roof of the barn. Looking upward
the farmer perceived that new male
stork of unusual size and beauty had
made his arrival and was engaged in a
warm discussion with the couple es-
tablished in the nest. Clapper, clap
per, clapper went the long bills;
feathers began to be ruf1ed, and at
length, aroused by some terribly insult
ing expression on the part of the
stranger, the male bird issued forth
from his nest and began a pitched
battle in defense of his honor and
home. The duel lasted for long time,
and the battle waxed fast and furious.
Curiously enough, the hen bird did not
attempt to take the slightest part
in the combat. She showed some evil
dences of excitement, occasionally stood
up in her nest and made some remarks
with her bill and wings in stork lam
guage, and then sat down again upon
her eggs. When the sun went down
the strange stork flew away, both of
the combatants covered with blood.
The hen bird received her lord and
master with all the signs of most ex-
aggerated affection, and appeared to
congratulate him on his gallant con-
duct. The next morning, however,
the stranger reappeared, and recon-
menced the battle of the day before.
Thoroughly exasperated against the
intruder, the farmer got out his gun,
and, forgetful of the superstition which
exists against killing a stork, fired at
the strange bird. Sad to relate, instead
of killing the latter, the husband stork
fell lifeless to the ground. Curiously
enough, the sound of the gun did not
appear to create the least impression
on the remaining birds. The hen stork
did not make the slightest attempt to
continue the struggle or to take to
flight. She remained quietly sitting
in her nest, the stranger standing
at some distance off. Gradually he be-
gan to edge along the ridge of the roof
toward the nest, and when he got quite
close thereto the hen likewise arose
and stood upright. For more than an
hour they remained standing next to
one another engaged in the most eager
discussion. At length they seemed to
have come to an understanding. After
moments pause they suddenly hoped
into the nest, and, working like very
furies, they united their efforts in
throwing the whole of the eggs out of
it onto the ground below. AS soon as
they had completed this work of de-
struction they both appeared to be
slightly overcome, and for about ten
minutes remained standing perfectly
still, each on one leg, their bills resting
on each others shoulders. At length
they simultaneously flew up into the
air, and after circling round few
times disappeared out of sight.
1t may be only coincidence, but
within few weeks of the above fight
not only the barn, but large portion
of the farm was destroyed by fire. en-
failing heavy loss on the proprietor.
Cor. Chicago Times.